Granted Patent B2

US 8,250,972 · App. 12/594,678 · Granted Aug 28, 2012

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A beverage maker capable of making customized beverages, said beverage maker comprises:

a water source configured to provide water;

a chiller in fluid communication with the water source and configured to receive a selected volume of water, wherein the chiller is configured to modify the temperature of the selected volume to a prescribed temperature;

a carbon dioxide source in fluid communication with the chiller and configured to provide carbon dioxide to the chiller;

a single use disposable flavor cup containing a flavor and having a sealed cover that covers and seals said flavor cup;

a water injection nozzle configured to access said flavor cup, wherein the water injection nozzle is in fluid communication with the chiller and is configured to operatively charge said flavor cup with the selected volume of the chiller so as to mix the selected volume with the flavor within the flavor cup to form a single-serving, on-demand volume of a flavored beverage; and

a discharge port for dispensing the flavored beverage from said flavor cup.

2. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein said flavor cup contains a selected flavored syrup.

3. The beverage maker of claim 2 , wherein said syrup is fortified with at least one of vitamins, herbs, or minerals.

4. The beverage maker of claim 1 further comprising operative controls for selectively engaging said carbon dioxide source as desired.

5. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein said flavor cup functions as a mixing chamber for the selected volume from the chiller and the flavor.

6. The beverage maker of claim 5 , wherein the flavored beverage is fully mixed within the flavor cup.

7. The beverage maker of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the selected volume within the chiller.

8. The beverage maker of claim 1 further comprising a user interface configured to indicate status of the customized beverage.

9. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the chiller defines an operative volume that corresponds to a cycle volume for each beverage.

10. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the chiller comprises a thermoelectric cooler.

11. The beverage maker of claim 1 further comprising a water level sensor configured to measure the level of water within the water source.

12. A method for making a customized beverages in a beverage maker, the method comprising:

receiving a single use disposable flavor cup containing a flavor, wherein the flavor cup comprises a seal that covers and seals the flavor cup;

providing a selected volume of water to a chiller from a water source;

modifying the temperature of the selected volume within the chiller to a prescribed temperature;

providing carbon dioxide to the selected volume within chiller;

projecting a water injection nozzle through the seal of the flavor cup;

operatively charging said flavor cup with the selected volume of the chiller so as to mix the selected volume with the flavor within the flavor cup to form a single-serving, on-demand volume of a flavored beverage; and

dispensing said flavored beverage from the flavor cup.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein providing carbon dioxide to the selected volume within the chiller comprises selectively engaging a carbon dioxide source to provide a selected amount of carbon dioxide to the selected volume within the chiller.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein operatively charging the flavor cup with the selected volume of the chiller comprises fully mixing the flavored beverage within the flavor cup.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising sensing the temperature of selected volume within the chiller.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising indicating the status of the customized beverage on a user interface.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising sensing the level of water within the water source.

Assignments (10)